Government Wants Access To Two Years Of Your Text Messages @McAfeeConsumer

5 Jan 2013 · 2 min

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This content was created by Robert Siciliano. This content was uploaded by Robert Siciliano. This is a YouTube news segment titled "Government Wants Access To Two Years Of Your Text Messages @McAfeeConsumer" (uploaded 2013-01-05). The excerpt is a broadcast-style discussion among multiple anchors/reporters (identified as SPEAKER A/B/C and named anchors Shannon, Lily, Jean) about a law-enforcement push to have cell carriers retain users' text messages for up to two years. The segment explains current short retention policies, notes that police often obtain messages during investigations without a warrant if companies keep them, and covers concerns about privacy and cost (including a comment attributed to Boston-based McAfee security expert Robert Siciliano). It also mentions carriers like AT&T and Verizon and notes Congress is considering updates to the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA).

Well, this morning there's a new push to save your text messages. Police are asking cell phone carriers to store your personal messages for years to help them solve crimes. Elizabeth Hopkins is here with what you need to know about this. Good morning, Lily.
Good morning, Shannon. What do you say to friends and family when no one else is listening? And how might that change if there was suddenly an audience? Well, it could happen if your text messages are archived the way that law enforcement officials say they'd like. Looking at these messages has come in handy in the past when someone goes missing or turns up dead. —when someone plans to commit a crime or writes a narrative of abuse. Police don't need a warrant to look at those text messages. During an investigation, most companies will just turn them over to authorities—if they have them. According to Wired magazine, different companies hold the messages for different lengths of time, but for most, it's only for several days. Well, now law enforcement officials would like to see that change, with companies storing the information for up to 2 years. And they've asked Congress to make that happen. But Boston-based McAfee online security expert Robert Siciliano says privacy Privacy is a concern, and so is the cost.
Companies like AT&T and Verizon would have to hold our data in their system for up to 2 years, and their employees would also have access to that information as well. This is government regulating how they store data, and it's going to cost them money, and more than likely they're going to pass that cost on to the consumer.
So far, the groups lobbying to use this information as a tool in their investigations has not specified exactly what portions of the message they'd want saved. Congress is working on refreshing a 1986 law on electronic for Electronics Communications and Privacy. So it'll be up to them to decide whether they'll allow the storage of this information. Jean?